Sinister
by NoxianAssassin
Summary: An unusual friendship grows between the Frost Archer of Freljord and the Sinister Blade of Noxus revealing dark secrets that should best remain hidden. What will become of the assassin? (KatxAshe)
1. On the Frontlines

The festival came once more, as it did every year, and was filled to the brim with all of Valoran. There were many scenes to take in from the music playing in the distance, to the children laughing and running around insanely, even to the certain champions that came by. A pair of emerald eyes squinted down to be sure she was looking right. Out of all people there were members of the Shadow Isles, people associated with death along with Noxus but more animalistic and barbaric. At least Noxians had order unlike those scums.

The Sinister Blade let out a breath and adjusted her laid back position on the high beam of a shop below. She remained hidden in the shadow of the night avoiding any exposure or recognition. The laughter of the people below her caused her brows to furrow slightly upon hearing them. With a leg laid straight and the other bent up, she rested her wrist on her knee and three knives between each finger. She lifted her hand up to reveal these knifes closer to her so she could get a good look at the glinting steel. They were worn out she thought, inspecting the weapons. Silvery black with an 'S' engraved on the blade. She toyed with them like a child, juggling them in her hands and twirling them, idly cautious of their sharpened edges.

Katarina's eyes lost their focus on the knives and turned to something more...interesting. She turned her head slightly and eyed the face that was hidden among silvery snow hair and the infamous cowl. The name of the Freljorian queen slipped from her lips and made her lean slightly forward. She appeared from the crowd along with her husband, Tryndamere. He erupted in maniacal laughter and had a drink in his hand (presumably from Gragas who was last seem in the pub across from where Katarina stayed) and his other hand on the queen's shoulder.

Earlier that day...

The fog of war cleared up around her perimeter as she set down a ward into the grass and adjusted her position so her legs wont fall asleep. She looked around vigilantly and held her blades firm. Sweat streamed from her face and she wiped it with a finger before crouching low again into the thick of the brush. She heard distant battle cries in front of her and heard the dim roar of "DEMACIA". The announcer proudly displayed the face of Garen, who was now running back under the protection of the blue turret to defend his recalling ally Caitlyn as the opposing team had become know throughout this battle to make quick and sneaky attacks. The torn face of the dragon girl, Shyvana, lay bloody and dead in a pool not to far from her in a position that indicated she was hit on her side by the massive sword he now heaved on his shoulder.

"An ally has been slain." the voice spoke, with a faint echo and loss for the team she was called to announce for.  
The Might of Demacia returned to his past position and quicly dispatched a minion wave by swinging his sword in a circular motion. The Sinister Blade squinted at her target. He wasn't affected by dizziness as he fought again and made his way to her team's turret. She corrected herself in an eye roll because her skills do the same thing and even threw in a small chuckle at her herself. A blue ping suddenly appeared beside her outside the brush and a fleeing champion heading up towards the top lane came into view straddling across the river, feet dragging and creating ruckus in the still water, book tight under his arm. He was injured badly in the shoulder and the leg and she noticed a limp while he tried to run through the shallow water. Blood protruded from his injury and he used his free hand to try and cover the wound and he clumsily regained his pase. The Noxian's adrenaline rushed and a Cheshire grin evilly shown upon her face as she quietly set her feet into play and her blades ready. Ears and eyes sharpened to their fullest extent, Katarina quickly calculated and ignored her victim's cries for help to Garen. A second passed and her body was ready to pounce but her instinct told her otherwise. Another second and the champion by the name of Ryze halted and looked towards the misty white sky and blue light revealed itself in a vertical beam above his weary head. His face smiled as the light became more eminent and begun to circle around him. Katarina held her hand out and threw what it appeared to be a fireball and spiraled around in a circle of flame. The blue light suddenly gone and a puff of black smoke and a knife to the dent of his neck, he had no time to react as the knife glided easy against his blue skin. Katarina threw the lifeless body into the river and watched it mercilessly. "Better dead then dull." she said, towering over her prize, a kill. Added to the 9 she had already made. Her body stiffened and ducked by her reflexes while another ping, bright red like the blood thickening the water shone in front of her. She had a second to dart back into the safety of the bush but was interrupted by a roar and a giant sword knocking her back. It cut her side luckily not so deep and she let out a groan through gritted teeth and mentally cursed herself for not being fast enough. Garen's sword lit up and he charged from the bushes but Katarina noticed this before but her mind hesitated for a split second.

She leapt back quickly up to her feet and blocked a heavy blow from the Demacian. His eyes burned with rage and overpowered her but she regained control as her eyes darted to an open area and she striked the man in the side as revenge. He parried her attack and kept his place firm. They eyed each other venomously as dark memories plagued their thoughts for a brief moment before they struck each other again. Their blades clanked and parried each swift motion each dealing small amounts of damage to each other until they were both bloody from head to toe. "Ready for trouble?" she spat, a few yards away from the Demacian who wiped blood from his busted brow. He clenched his chiseled jaw before yelling angrily at the Sinister Blade, "I WILL NOT FALTER!" He spun around so many times and so fast Katarina dodged nearly every attack due to her trained reflexed but lost track when she thought his rampage would end. The last swing of his sword landed her in the river and onto her back very roughly. She skidded across the shallow muddy back and reached for her blades that always remained by her sides. "Shit!" she said and saw that they had skidded out of her grasp. She was heavily beat up and wounded to the maximum. Her body froze when the Demacian charged closed to her and all those seconds slowed down the time. She met the eyes of her attacker and saw herself reflect in his eyes. She was trained in the academy for many years not to show fear even to death and she swallowed the acid that ran up her throat and shut her eyes and relaxed herself repeating the last words she would say to her victims before finishing them.  
'It will be quick and painless...'

A whistle flew by her ear and landed with a sound of frost cracking. Katarina's eyes flashed open and saw a crystalline arrow piercing the Demacian in the shoulder right where the joint is. He cried out in pain grabbing hold of his shoulder and immediately began to run back leaving his sword on the ground and not even attempting to retrieve it. Katarina's blade was thrown to her from the dark of the fog and without questioning caught it and shunpo'd in front of Garen startling the man. She thrust her blade extra deep into his plated chest and ferociously roared at the force it took to bring the hilt of the blade right on top of his armor. She kicked him down with her arm and as he went down her large dagger slid from his chest and left the fresh warm blood glistening on the runed blade. She smiled as the announcer's voice brought some good news.

"Double kill!"

She looked to the dead soldier who's body expelled a blue mist that spiraled up along with blue orbs. She rang out a smile and towered before the dead Demacian. "Serves you right not to mess with Noxus." she said upon spitting his bloody face. The body vanished and the crystallized arrow fell onto the riverbed and laid there floating above the surface. The water carried a small current and brought the arrow to her and her shins blocked the way it was headed. She bent down and picked it up, examining the ranged weapon. Ice. She looked up to see the owner of that arrow come into view, holding another arrow in place on the bow made of the same essence and pointing it low to the ground. Mixed with grace and elegance, the queen of Freljord revealed herself. She paused for a moment and took off her hood and let her hair fall down her back in a waterfall of snow. A light shape of pink accented her pale face and her eyes shone like the depths of the ocean radiating light from above the surface.

The Frost Archer walked closer to the Sinister Blade and kept her body low. Katarina tensed as her fingers rasped her wrist and clamped there and dragged her along into the bushes of the jungle till they were far away from where the kill occurred. Why Katarina allowed this woman to simply drag her away she didn't know and her thoughts soon became actions as she jerked her arm away.  
"What do you think you're doing?" Katarina threatened.

The Frost Archer paused and looked at her and caused the assassin's spine to shiver at the cold touch of her eyes. Although her eyes plundered into the emerald forest of the Noxian's and sent off chilling vibes, the queen's expression was calm and collected as well as her tone. "Helping you. Now come quick." she answered and motioning with her hand to come with her. Looking to the sides for any signs of danger she took her chances and followed the Freljordian to a bush and crouched low along with her. She took out a small wrapped item from her pack on her side which quickly vanished. She unwrapped it with her thin fingers taking the time to unwrap it from every side. Katarina watched her hand slowly unravel the pocketed item to be a green misty orb. The Frost Archer spooned her free hand under the orb and tossed the wrapping to the side and cautiously reached for Katarina's arm which hid the gash that had Garen's name written all over it. She stiffened by the hand moving dangerously close to her and shot daggers to the Frost Archer in response. "I will not hurt you, just lift your arm please," she assured the assassin. Katarina looked at her for a moment before slowly lifting her arm and the queen's palm resting on her side pushing the green orb into her. Upon contact, it spiraled around her in a flurry before fading out and healing the wound completely. Katarina felt her skin weave together and stitch itself back together and a sigh of relieve escaped her lips as she drew her head back and lowered her arm. The Freljordian caught this weakness and brought the attention forward into a small smile. The Sinister Blade sneered and wrinkled her forehead etching her eyebrows straight across and slightly curved at the edges.

"A little gift from Sona." she stated before disappearing from the bush into the fog of war. Katarina saw her retreating figure and wondered why she had seeked the assassin to heal her in the first place. She hadn't even realized that the arrow still remained in her hand. She looked to the indent the archer left in the bush and then looked to her side. Her face remained emotionless, but something in her made her huff out and shake her head with a tug on the corners of her lips. Maybe teammates are kind of a good thing.

After a few more kills and more blood drawn from the Might of Demacia, the scores were 52/7/40 for blue and 60/4/56 for purple the blue team's enemies smiled at each other as they all charged down mid lane. Katarina with her blades ready sneaked in the back and paced. She observed her team about to make a huge mistake as the two dickheads of Noxus and Freljord charged towards the Demacian and Piltover lines to the inhibitors. The both of them scoffed and cracked jokes, pushing each other to the sides and laughed like men would. Sona appeared behind the assassin and looked to the two men ahead of them. She played a tune which would have mimicked her eyes rolling and scolding the men. Her hands went to her hips and the Ionian's head shook with disappointment. She would have too in another time especially if her brother Talon were here but no, he refused to accept the battle and join them. No, it was those two Darius and Tryndamere. It was uncommon for those two to get along but she guessed that most men would get along despite belonging to different states. Sona continued on and looked back to Katarina and harped a tune questioning the Noxian. Katarina signaled for her to go on ahead and motioned that she was going to stay. She nodded once and floated behind the two men and bashed their heads together while smacking her hands on her Etwahl. Katarina straightened herself from her battle ready position and cracked her back while thinking the Ionian's got some nerve to her with a little scoff to her thoughts. She stalked into a bush and waited there for a ping or anything.

Its been a minute or two and the sounds of the crickets chirping and hushed howls of the creeps in the jungle. She wondered how they were holding up. The announcer had pronounced two enemies dead, Shyvana and her unfortunate teammate Garen. Then came Darius. From the fog came purple shoots that glided on the ground to Katarina's feet. She watched as Sona raced back up the lane with Tryndemere smiling sinisterly and running faster with his sword dragging across the dirt. Sona played a eerie tune and stretched out her hand toward the barbarian but he scoffed and ran away into the jungle. The Piltover officer Caitlyn went in hot pursuit of Sona, both beat up pretty well and the Noxian identifying their wounds to be made from Darius's axe.

Something burned inside of Katarina and made her hands clench the handles of her daggers. After Sona supported the team how would a teammate abandon her when he himself was able to fend them off? Even as a cold blooded killer who showed no mercy, she didn't agree that was right even to someone who helped you in a battle. With an unknown weakness that caused her to lower her blade for a second but she regained her conscience and positioned herself to attack shaking her head of any stray thoughts. The support was beaten up bad herself and sported a few cuts with bruises. Water had begun to escape her eyes and her pace slowed and she hung her head low as a rust coloured gear circled her along with a line that came from the fog. Another second and she was slain with a hole through her chest and she gently curled herself next to her beloved Etwahl and held it close. The blue mist escaped her body and the Sinister Blade watched it disappear into the air. She growled and venomous emerald eyes dashed toward her target. Catching her unaware she appeared behind her and spun her steel blades which gashed her calves. The sheriff fell to her knees and with a solid back she unleashed her anger by shooting 10 knives to her back until she lay dead on her back. Katarina brushed her hair back and heard the kill she made. She saw the sheriff's blood seep from her back and to the sides and turned to Sona's body that lay beside her. She walked to the Ionian and looked dully to her her mind replaying thoughts from earlier that match when Sona had healed them multiple times and stunned three victims for Katarina's liking.

Katarina was pinged by that red warning again and she begun to run back to the base when she saw the Frost Archer running from the side with a half healthy Vi on her tail. Vi being the relentless girl she was ran under the turret to kill the archer. She ran almost to the fountain when Vi punched her hard and made her stumble away from the safety of the base. Katarina begun to run faster and faster as her body became more aware of the situation than her mind which lagged behind some. Before she knew it, she blocked the blow from Vi with the opposing force of her blade which elicited a gasp from the Freljordian behind her. This caught the assassin of guard slightly and when she regained her senses, The Enforcer was running back to the mid turret which was occupied with blue minions attacking it. Katarina took a knife from her thigh and with one eye she flicked her wrist along with the movement of her arm and it dug into her back.

"An enemy has been slain!"

The Sinister Blade ignored this and found herself helping up the Frost Archer who remained slumped on the ground. She was dangerously low in health and coughed blood from the impact of Vi's deadly gauntlets. She bent down to encourage the archer to stand up. She didn't want to touch her and kind of yelled at her harshly. Her instincts told her to look up and the last champion she had to face from the opposing team came hurling at the two from across the map. Katarina looked into her eyes and the blue gave her mind some sort of ease from the intense battle they fought. They had fought long and hard keeping the enemy away from their base and the enemy from them. All of the team was bathed in crimson of their own and their victim's and the queen's weak body slumped back down to the floor her head raining with fresh blood to her face. It contrasted greatly with the white of her face and the light shade of pink that adorned her skin was now gone under the layer of snow. "Katarina..." she spoke with her voice produced in almost a whisper. She was only a few feet away from the fountain and extended her arm slightly toward it. The assassin had no other choice but to carry the archer to the base. She sighed and a troubled look took her face and she bent over to take the queen into her arms. Surprisingly she was light and cold to the touch. A step forward and she rested the fragile queen on the inside of the border to the fountain and with weak eyes becoming awake trailed the assassin. Katarina turned her back from her and ignored her. She spoke her name again and rang with worry when she began to run forward. She had to stop it. The rocket increased its velocity and did Katarina. She wasn't going to let anyone die. The nose of the weapon came into view. She rushed head on and roared and her back burned with the eyes of her teammates.

"Katarina..."

"An ally has been slain."


	2. Shadows

The Sinister Blade rubbed her eyes that had begun to succumb to sleep deprivation.

It had been a long day for her and as well as her duties. Simple as it may have been, the Sinister Blade's week had been outrageous. She had made quick and easy kills, using her ping tactic for her teammates to lure their enemies to their deaths and all the energy her deathly adrenaline put into. It helped the other champions in gaining victories but it caused a hard impact on her mind, making quick judgments and pinpointing strategy for long hours wore her out.

She observed the Freljordian King and Queen talk to some people that have gathered around them after a minute they had entered into view. Tryndamere up roared into laughter and threw his head back while the queen held her hands and chuckled to herself from the people's jokes which was a stark contrast between the pair. He patted her on the back roughly and caused her to stumble forward a bit and lose her footing. Her face peeked from under the hood and eyed him with daggers before shaking off the sensation a second later. The queen's face twisted into a smile and her figure standing as still as a china doll on display or as a Noxian guard. Katarina observed them further and bobbed her head while the people amongst the crowd had blocked her vision from them. She soon gave up the chances of spying when her patience was to the brim. Laying back into her previous comfortable position, she toyed with her knives again but placed two back into her thigh strap.

A few minutes had passed of boring talk and Katarina's eyes becoming heavy, they were beginning to resist the urge to stay open. Other that her mind surging in all sorts of directions. The Sinister Blade shut her eyes finally and recalled their previous battle including the Frost Archer in it. She had never been on the Noxian's side much less in the same lane as her. The queen's swiftness impressed her, but due to battle, she didn't said a word. Katarina had grown familiar with the way she fought, excellent at revealing her hiding seconds before her own death. She had escaped many times under the assassin's bloody knife and had met it twice as much.

Subconsciously, her hand wandered to her side and pinned her thoughts there.

Had the Archer been on the opposing team, she would have struck her in the heart countless times. Even if the assassin's outward expression blinded those around her, she was surprised to see the Archer help her. Not many people would help a Noxian such as herself even on the Fields of Justice. She wondered why the Archer came such a way to bring her heath from Sona, who was a Demacian of all people. Katarina shook her head with a scowl and pinched the bridge between her eyes to rid herself of thoughts. It wasn't like her to think so much.

The venomous green eyes of the assassin focused once more on the hooded queen and the blue eyes that peeked out from time to time. It was the small details that kept her eyes open and her curiosity sharp. The archer's responses to the situation she was in were better than Katarina could ever do. Frozen in place, occasionally smiling, her features showing no sign of interest but deep in thought. Her mind must have wandered out several time because her smiles every 10 seconds were unnecessary. A slanted grin arose when she thought of the most bizarre thing. The assassin under that situation would have killed to silence them much to her amusement.

The assassin stretched her back and leaned to the warm spot in the wood where she had rested for a while now. She heard distinct words describing the match they were in earlier. The queen hadn't gone into much detail which Katarina liked. She wouldn't have wanted for her to discuss any private things that took place in the match and not to strangers at most. Although as the people asked more questions to the queen her face became unsure how to deal with all of them. Fixing up a smile she found how to address them and they in return smiled. Tryndamere became silent as he chugged his beer in gulps. It seemed quite brutal that he drank that fact and wiped it shamelessly onto his bare arm then wiping it onto his armor. Thankfully he did that while his wife unwillingly chatted a bit more with the people and one by one they became uninterested and left.

Till the last one she spoke to left, the queen turned to him with her arms crossed. Katarina raised an eyebrow and halted her fiddling with the knife. The archer pulled the barbarian to the side in between a doorway just in front of the assassin's place. The darkened wood of the door enhanced the queen's side profile exquisitely, outlining every detail from the side of her face. Her blue eyes looked around alertly before turning sharply and hooking to him. Their icy glint from the lantern lights above them shot the assassin's neck hairs high and stiffened her body. Catching hold of her body's actions she soothed her muscles and pressed the question as to why back into the dark of her mind. The Frost Archer's voice sounded different this time. From speaking with others it was calm but her slight expressions gave away her nerves and in the way that Katarina viewed it, it was more real. She leaned in so much that her face almost became exposed and she had to hide back again. She perked her senses to them but couldn't make out what they said.

Tryndamere placed his hands firmly on his hips and swayed slightly looking down upon her. His position gave a vibe of impatience and malevolence to herwords and her lips began to slow down their quick movement from the intense staring. He cocked his head slightly to the side squinting his eyes and revealing a sly grin. He shifted his feet and turned to exit but turned back again and stroked his chin then sipped from his cup. Furrowing his eyebrows and lowering his drink to the last thing she had said, he leaned himself far into her and backed her against the gray stone wall that caved them in. The assassin soaked every detail like a sponge. Slowly he raised his hand that instinctively met the handle of his sword and challenging her gaze, unsheathed it and brought it down to his side. The whites of his knuckles uncovered the fury that raged inside him. His wife on the other hand, had not flinched once. Her arms had moved themselves down to sustain her back against the cold stone and her fingers wrapped around the edge of the wall. Strangely, her face was unaffected. She remained still and held her posture despite being forced against a wall. Not a wrinkle of her lips nor a tug from her brow indicated such fear to escape the royalty of Freljord.

Her hands betrayed her bravery and every second he inched forward, her grip strengthened. Tryndamere backed away after the few moments and gave some air back into Katarina's lungs. Taking the glass of beer to his face again, he drank till the last drop then belched unpleasantly loud. Katarina cringed upon hearing it echo even to where she lied perched. The Frost Archer also cringed but for an entirely different reason. He laughed and then turned to exit at the same time his wife releasing her grip from the wall and releasing the tension. Before he left however, he brought himself close to her ear and whispered something that made her immobilize. After he had disappeared into the lessening crowd, the queen sunk herself to the step of the doorway and covered her head in her arms. A few shutters escaped her form yet the silence concealed them. She had remained in that position for a while now and the crowd had diminished completely. With the moon illuminating the rugged dirt path and the white haired beauty, a glint of steel shone through the air before landing right beside the Freljordian's head. She slowly lifted her eyed to see what had impacted the wood and she examined the silver throwing knife engraved with an 'S'. Noticing the way the back end stood up she trailed her eyes to the high beam overhead, and the disappearance of a shadow into the night.

* * *

**[I've begun to write in a slightly different way because I just felt like my original writing lacked all the juice of details! I hope it's a bit better now and I would love to hear your comments about it and it would help me greatly:)]**


	3. Thank You

Thwack!

Thwack!

Pang!

With a lopsided grin and a glass of wine, the Sinister Blade lowered her arm and walked over to the target. She turned her attention to the lodged knives and saw they had all hit perfectly into the center. With one tug she pulled the clustered weapons then turned to set them on the old wood table beside her and left one in her fingers. With a smile she walked back to the same position and met a pair of amused eyes from across the room. Her spectator had her chin resting in her palms and motioned her to continue. Taking the knife between her index and thumb, Katarina eyed the center, motioned with her other thumb till it was just the right coordination it hit right where she wanted it to go. She jumped a bit from her concentration and sensing the cold metal reach her fingertips from her blade's hilt. she heard a few claps and a whistle from the Bounty Hunter.

"Woo! I'm surprised you never miss."

Katarina scoffed and took out the knife wedged deep into the wood and walked to her. "I'm surprised you haven't figured that out yet."

She took the glass and with her head back, gulped the last bit before setting it down in front of of her companion.

"I'll take a bomber. "

"You sure?" she said raising a perfectly curved eyebrow.

Katarina nodded while running her thumb over the scarred wood of the counter. "You know what I like."

She rolled her eyes and smirked. Turning around she belt down and revealed a dark bottle from behind a few wine bottles in one of the lower cabinets. Opening it, a sweet aroma of pink smoke arose from the bottle and fresh pink liquid was poured into the cup and halted at the appropriate measurement just two inches below the rim. She placed the bottle to the side and from the top of a shelf a yard away, she took a small glass bottle with with darker, purple liquid. The woman whirled the glass creating a bloody red and bubbled slightly. The Bounty Hunter turned around and flipped her red hair off her shoulder and set the drink atop the counter.

"There." she stated with a smile. Her eyes looked up at the mirroring green of the assassin hoping for some sort of gratitude. Instead, the Noxian instantly focused on the cup and twirled the liquid inside of it. She sighed.

"You're lucky you don't have a fee."

"For a bounty hunter such as yourself it's pretty ironic." She joked and retreated back to her spot in the back. Her partner huffed and took a rag that hung on the rack underneath the counter and cleaned it. She eyed the assassin for a second while Katarina accommodated herself in the corner then focused on cleaning up the bar.

The Noxian leaned into her chair and watched the drink bubble lightly. She took another sip of it before leaning back and held the beverage in her mouth to savor it. It was sweet, the way she always favored it. It felt like chocolate melted on her tongue and gave the sweetness of sugar but a light sour after taste of beer. Swallowing it made her shiver as she felt it seep down with a trail of ice.

She set the drink down and shook her head to rid of the effect of the first taste. From her right ear, she heard a hello ring from her partner to someone that came in the door that signaled with a bell to their arrival but she paid no attention assuming it was just another late night champion. The Noxian did wonder why Sarah would let anyone other than her in at this hour. Shrugging it off, Katarina walked over to the front of the target again and relaxed herself cracking her neck and letting loose. Concentrating on the center of interest, she reached for her knife on her thigh but was abruptly interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. In a spit second she vanished leaving behind a puff of purple smoke with an arm around her victim and her famous runed blade to her neck. Her hand felt a slight tug and opposition of temperature but she wasn't going to lower her defenses at no cost. The slight shiver of the person she trapped made her blood thirst skyrocketed but recognizing who it was instantly, she lowered her tone deep into a growl, annoyed by the outcome. "What are you doing here?"

A pale hand raised up Katarina's knife and was held carefully by the hilt followed by a calm voice. "I came to return this."

Hesitating for a moment, she lowered her blade and walked cautiously around her visitor never losing eye contact and kept a firm grip on her weapon. She extended her hand to return the knife but kept her eyes away from the Noxian's. Her fake boldness made her eyes roll and cross her arms. Seeing that the archer had no more words to say to her, she exhaled an annoyed breath making it known she shouldn't have come here. "I have no use for thrown away blades especially when they are touched by enemy hands, so there's no need for you to waste your time."

Her ice blue eyes looked at the knife before turning to hers and making the Sinister Blade's stomach churn. "So you mean I can keep it?"

She rolled her eyed and glared at her. "The League supplies me with unlimited equipment and I don't care what happens to them."

A light shade of pink returned to her white skin and she pulled her hand back taking the knife and holding to her chest like a keepsake. "Thank you." she said with a smile and a polite bow. Katarina remained unaffected. As long as the Frost Archer was here she wasn't going to enjoy throwing her knives and practicing her aiming or the peace of her drink. She sat down taking a deep breath that the archer was gone and away from her. Freljordians were never good company considering their land was in civil war. From the corner of her eye she hasn't moved from where she stood. Katarina leaned forward and sustaining herself with an arm on the table she took her drink and sipped it, ignoring the other woman hoping that would get her to go. It didn't. She remained there on her toes and bit her lip searching for anything to reply to Katarina. The assassin remained there, frozen with her lips glued to her cup in her own annoyance and failure of getting the queen to leave. Her thoughts spurred with questions that irrigated doubt and worry. The archer cleared her voice which eased Katarina a little in hopes of finding a better way to rid her.

"I also wanted to thank you for the match the other day."

Unclipping her lips from the cup and erasing the wetness from her mouth she raised her eyebrow along with her eyes to meet the archer's in silent question. "What you did was very brave to um, save me."

"I did it for the team. It wasn't for you."

She opened her mouth to say something, but she shut it when she rethought her response. "I thank you for it. No one's ever done that for me."

Katarina scoffed. "Oh yeah? What makes you think I did that for you, _your highness?_"

Her face lessened and sunk solemnly to the ground avoiding . Her voice grew weaker with each word and every one of them was caught by the assassin's complacent stare.

"I...I don't know, it was just an assumption..."

"Don't waste your breath." she countered.

"May I buy you a drink?"

Katarina's eyebrows arched at the word 'drink'. No was her quick and blunt answer. The Freljordian huffed silently at her failing attempts to strike conversation but Katarina noted it. "I've already had four, I don't need no more for tonight." she sighed.

She looked at Katarina for a moment opening her mouth but then nodded in reply. "Ok. I hope you have a nice rest and I shall see you again sometime. Goodnight."

With that, she turned tail and left along with a wave to Sarah before exiting the bar with a silent click of the door. Katarina sat back wide eyed replaying the entire scene. Twisting her face into the confused look she bore in her mind, she took a gulp of her drink and shuttered once more feeling the effects pour in and reality taking hold of her mind. It felt a bit odd that a queen such as herself would ask to buy her a drink. What's more she...thanked her.

A small smile crept to her lips without effort and her eyes closed to feel the weakness developing in her chest and rising steady onto her face. It almost made her giggle until it vanished when a pair of arms circled around her neck and a pair of breasts pushed against her back.

"What did Ashe want with you?" Sarah asked a bit curiously.

Katarina was accustomed to her approaches and shrugged her off. This gave Sarah the initiative to take a seat in front of her friend and to know more about her and the queen's brief encounter. Adjusting the seat to accommodate the Bounty Hunter, she leaned in and rested her chin on her palms with sparking eyes upon the assassin.

"She wanted to buy me a drink."

"Really?" came the immediate reply.

"That and she thanked me for the match the other day." she said leaning back against the chair and taking another sip.

"Huh, I see." she said. "Well that's good. I was wondering why she would come in so late for a drink. Mostly Tryndamere's here but drags her around places."

The assassin hummed.

"Oh and I saw your match. Must say what you did for her was very...brave of you. Running head on towards Jinx's death rocket? Pure suicide. The whole League was shocked!" she laughed and slapped the table which caused it to shake. Katarina lowered her head while Sarah laughed and recalled the scene. She remembered well what had happened that day but she was still stumped over her and the Frost Archer.

Katarina furrowed her brows already irritated with everything. "I did it for the team." she pressed.

"The whole 'team' was in full health except you and her." she parried and poked Katarina's forehead with a finger. An annoyed grunt escaped from the assassin's clenched jaw.

"You saved her life."

The assassin scowled at the words letting herself a bit loose. Knowing her partner was only teasing, she always got the worst out Katarina. She couldn't defend her place when all the evidence was right there and being thrown in her face. Lowering her head, the Sinister Blade looked around the bar hoping to find something to come into her mind to regain some confidence to her. Sarah smirked and laid back whilst tapping a finger on the table and crossed her legs knowing she had won another round.

"Well. What you did was a good thing." she said breaking the awkward air between them. Katarina looked at her hand which twiddled with her cup's rim. "You think so?" she asked with a hushed tone so no one else would hear. Then again who could?

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. What else did she say?"

The Sinister blade shifted her hand on the cup and thought of a lie but it failed to reach the surface. "She gave me back a knife I lost in the fields."

Sarah cocked an eyebrow. "You losing knives? I don't think so."

Katarina sighed. Lying never got anywhere with Sarah. "I uh, went to the Lunar Festival last night and I saw her and Tryndamere talking to a few people there. Something happened and I threw my knife at her."

Sarah's eye grew wider and gasped. The Noxian's eyebrow twitched at the sudden response but understood her partner's actions as she placed both hands on the table with her eager green eyes looking betrayed. "You went to the Lunar festival without me?!"

"That's not the point and plus I was overhead, hidden." the assassin explained. Sarah's expression faded to a serious one. "Were you trying to kill her?"

Katarina shook her head. "I saw Tryndamere threaten her or tell her something that made her freak out. He left and I just felt compelled to do something."

"I'm sure he was only kidding. That barbarian of a man always has that crude humor of his. You know once he told Gragas to sit in a chair Teemo was already sitting in and the poor fellow didn't even realize he was stealthed!" Sarah cracked. Katarina slouched again and placed her head into her hand looking dully at her partner. Sarah saw this and sighed though her cheerfulness hadn't faded.

Sarah stretched her arms high above her head and yawned loudly. She stood up and pinched her friend's shoulder but had her hand automatically pushed away.

"Come on, it's past my bedtime and way past closing time. Finish your drink and lets get back to the dorms." Katarina didn't budge which made the Bounty Hunter pout. Sarah saw from the corner of her eye her partner's lips pull themselves into a grin and seized the chance she could never get during the day. Katarina in the other hand, simply ignored her and payed attention to her beloved drink at its final drop.

"Kaaaaaaaat!" she whined and rested her entire weight on the Noxian. She could help but release a smile at her partner's attempts to persuade her.

"Hold on!" she strained while failing to resist the urge to laugh while the other woman let herself go limp on the assassin. "Kaaaaaaaaat!"

"Stop!" she insisted putting a hand over her mouth to cover her laughs. She nudged Sarah with her elbow but the strength wasn't enough to knock her off. "Stop it!"

Sarah knowing the assassin all too well, made a quick turn of events at Katarina's bare torso and began to tickle her to continue the small weakness she bore and crashed onto the floor in a heap of laughter.

Katarina held her sides firm and squirmed helplessly under her partner's hold letting go small squeaks and giggles she could not contain as the tough Noxian assassin she was. They laughed hard until they were both exhausted and out of breath. Giving a few chuckles a chance to leave them, they got up from the ground and then out the door after setting up the rest of the stools and chairs on the tables and returning the empty cup to its place after a wash. Sarah escorted Katarina outside of the bar and into the grand halls of the Institute then locked the doors with a long skeleton key. With a good tug to ensure the door was successfully locked, she wiped her hand on her pants with a twisted scowl. "Ugh they should do a better job at cleaning this place! It's like a billion years old!"

Katarina shook her head at her words with a smile to her. "Maybe more like a decade. It's not that bad, not like Noxus." Sarah objected. "Not even! Bilgewater's worse with them and their stupid pirates!"

"Aren't you a pirate Miss Fortune?" she purred while bending her head to meet Sarah's. "As if."

"Says the one with a captain's hat."

Sarah crossed her arms and grunted looking away from Katarina's satisfied grin and looked at the floor. The old chipped stone was pretty ragged against her heels and the sound they made did nothing to help the sleeping champions. She continued to pause her strut and look at the dirt on her heels until Katarina soon realized that she was walking alone and several feet in front. "What's wrong this time?" she inquired dully.

"The floor's too dirty and it's making my shoes loose their shine." she whined softly wary of the others around them. She looked to the Noxian and saw she wasn't really paying attention. The night had begun to bring back reality and sense to her with her duties.

Sarah took a deep breath and sighed. Katarina was always caught up in thought she wondered what went on in that mind of hers...

"What're you looking at?"

Sarah's mind snapped and she locked eyes with the assassin. She shrugged it off with a laugh and swayed side to side mentally cursing herself. "Oh nothing! Was just thinking, that's all."

Katarina nodded and Sarah exhaled knowing her sign that she was ok with it.

A few moments later Sarah looked at Katarina again but this time she carried a wholesome grin and the Noxian knew exactly what she wanted.

"Please?" asked the Bounty Hunter with hands clasped behind her back and on her toes.

Katarina blew her hair from her face and rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Yay!" she cheered and hopped onto Katarina's back. Sarah wasn't all that heavy but there was a difference between her and the Frost archer, she thought. Much thinner Ashe was compared to Sarah and her skin was the utmost soft and cold. Not that Sarah's was not soft but it lacked the icy appearance and touch that perked the assassin's senses. How was it that Ashe was so cold? Freljord was a cold place but did her home come with her? Or was she cold blooded like some people say? Katarina shook her head and vanished the stray thoughts from her mind but she knew they would come back.

She kept a vigilant eye while coursing through the dark hallways of the Institute. The Noxian was wary of those who wandered through the night and those who would flip if they saw her like this. It didn't dawn on Sarah to know that the Noxian's entire reputation would be shattered if anyone saw them like this, champions and summoners alike. Katarina's senses were at their sharpest extend and her palms sweaty over this, and she dashed through the shadows of the moon's light from the arched windows.

She made her way to the Bilgewater side and dropped Sarah off with a goodbye and a 'see you tomorrow'. Careful to not make any noise, Katarina carefully tip toed into her side of the Institute which was directly across from where Sarah was located in the west wing. The Noxian fumbled through her pockets in search for her key and when her hand finally found it, she jiggled the lock and swung open the door while flipping inside and locking it with a light click. She walked over to her bed and flopped onto the hard mattress and upon meeting the pillow fell into a deep sleep.


	4. Vunerable

The institute flurried with champions. Conversations and laughs rang about left and right while Katarina shut her door and trekked her way down the hall. She tugged on her jacket and belt adjusting her carelessness from waking up and throwing on her clothes. Everyday it went on like this, following the same routine of showering, getting dressed and heading down to eat breakfast with her family. Not that she was excited enough to see them.

Quickening her pace and dodging the people walking slowly in front of her, Katarina righted herself as she approached the grand doors to the large Dining Hall. She always found herself looking at the heavy oak doors fastened with large metal hinges. She sighed and took the cold steel handle into her hands. The Noxian heaved the door open to reveal the morning light shine bright against her eyes which was something she never liked. She shielded them and continued her way past the long straight rows of tables and benches.

She sat quietly down at the Noxian table which was towards the back of the room and in a dark corner where the light from the upper window's shone above. Katarina brought her collar higher and ducked her head just a bit while she observed the vigilante eyes of the proud Demacians looking about from the opposite side of the dining hall. Garen, the Might of Demacia as some call him and a nuisance to some others, erupted into laughter and drew his hands to his hips. His witty little sister Lux exploded into laughter and the Demacian table was banged multiple times which drew attention from the more quieter tables.

The assassin grunted and rolled her eyes. Seeing her sister Cassiopeida and her brother Talon arrive with plates of food, Katarina forgot the repulsive Demacians and focused on the plate that was set down in front of her.

"Three eggs, two pieces of bacon and a piece of toast with honey. Need anything else, princess?" Cassiopedia teased with a hiss. She coiled up beside Katarina at the foot of the table while Talon took to facing the assassin.

"Don't call me that." Katarina grunted. Her sister only smirked and fanned her clawed hand.

"I'll take that as a no." Cassiopedia said beginning to take her food into her mouth. She had the same thing as her sister, although she did have a few pieces of raw rat flesh on her plate. It was carved perfectly by Cass's claws, thought Katarina, taking in the precision of the cut flesh now entering into her fanged mouth. She lowered her arm to see her sister gawking at her with a serious face.

"What, do you want some too?" she taunted.

The assassin snapped back and shook her head slightly meeting her sister's equally venomous stare. Cass's eyes dilated thinner till all her pupil became a thin line and her grin stretching wide. Katarina felt herself shrinking into her seat but righted herself and answered her in a growl. "I'd rather drink Demacia's sewerwater than eat a rat _you_ found off the streets."

Cassiopeida's thin eyebrows creased and she clenched her jaw, unable to say anything or keep still. Talon instantly stopped her with an arm when she stood up higher and gave her a look. Cass's took a moment and looked at Talon but he nodded and she sunk down into her coiled body. Katarina eyed Talon's response and gave him an almost thankful gesture but he nodded it off and continued eating.

Silence over took the trio for a short time till the head of Noxus's military showed up with his allies. Talon raised his cup to their arrival and brought it to himself again. His eyes shifted towards Katarina's who begun to take her plate and rose.

"Ah, Miss Du Couteau, leaving so soon?" called General Swain being ever so sly. He took the silverware into his hands and skillfully twirled the knife and stopped it short with the menacing point at her. "Won't you rather dine with your _General_?"

The words slipped from her tongue with ease. "I have much better things to do."

With that, she left and felt his anger boil in his blood.

However, she wasn't the only one who had left. He took off, dumping his food out swiftly next to him in a garbage bin and trailed after Katarina. She sensed his presence behind her and looked from the corner of her eye till they made it towards the entrance to the hallway. "You don't have to be so harsh Kat. He's like family." said Talon, his voice gruff.

"He'll never be like my father."

"Yes, but do you have to be so harsh?" he implied. Katarina looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. He never was compassionate which rose her next statement into question. She was interrupted by his finger silencing her and pulled out a knife along with a side grin. "Let the blades do the talking."

She smiled and playfully reached for the knife but was retracted with a laugh. "Guess we'd have to save that for another day eh, sis?"

She nodded and concealed her laughter. "Yeah."

Their attention was cut off by the sound of the game that came back on after the break of the news. The score was announced 18/8/15 to the blue team and 14/6/12 to the purple team. The game had been going on for 15 minutes already showing two blue team members running for cover and the jungler at their heels. "It's an ugly game. It's not even worth watching."

"Why?" she asked, her interest peaked a little bit.

"The game itself is a total bloodbath, every corner has a trap and there are just deaths everywhere." Talon said, leaning back against a pillar they were standing by. Katarina turned to watch the game, which was a magic visionary at the top of another pillar at the corner of the hallway that intersected the other hallway. Many champions that where headed in different directions paused to look at the current game but others walked right past. She leaned in next to Talon and crossed her arms watching the game from thousands before.

The camera shifted to the bushes where a small member of the enemy purple team was advancing toward the Blue buff Golem which was smashing the ground in pursuit of Fizz, allied with the blue team. The swift scout waited patiently in the bush, laying down a mushroom that poisonously glowed a beautiful bright green spotted with magenta. He prepared to strike the heavily bruised champion with his infamous blinding darts and aimed for the neck. As the Golem fell back the blue ring marked with ancient runes crowned the feet of the new victor, Fizz looked around cautiously and leapt out into the lane. The yordle grinned. He blew the dart and it aimed perfectly for the neck, its purple feathers sticking up. He looked around blindly fear taking over his darkened eyes at the same time Teemo leapt out and shot three lethal darts which hit him in his back. The effects of the poison took over him and dropping his weapon, he coiled up and shivered ferociously. He looked wide eyed at his attacker before the poison took over his mind and he laid there in the dirt foaming from the mouth and eyes horrifyingly white. The buff immediately circled around the small scout and he skipped out of view smiling at the announcer displaying his kill overhead.

"Oooh," said Talon along with a few bystanders, wincing at the death but wearing a satisfying grin unlike the crowd around them. "That Teemo surely knows how to make an impression."

Katarina acknowledged this and watched further.

The Ionians Irelia and Master Yi fled the scene after ganking the bot lane that held the mighty Freljordian Braum. He had been immediately respawned back at the fountain after being brutally torn from his shield by Irelia and taken down by a turret dive from Yi. The two ran away into the unknown protection of the jungle to recall. Surprisingly for a support and the newest member of the League, Braum was capable of injuring them both even without the assistance of the ADC who was suspected M.I.A.

Under the safety of a bush they hadn't realized the horror that was about to lash out upon them. With stealth unlocked and a sinister purr, blades and claws tore at their flesh in a flash they didn't have time to think. Ionian blood leaked out from the bush and a double kill ring about the Pridestalker's ears just as he stalked out and ran towards the commotion running about in the other side of mid lane.

Rengar clenched his teeth and gripped his hooked blade still dripping with blood and steadied himself to pounch on unsuspecting prey. The legendary Baron Nashor roared and erupted noxious spit oozing from his broad, rancid mouth. The blue team dodged his attacks and fought forcefully against the vile creature completely unaware of the enemy keeping them under surveillance. Maybe if they defeated the epic monster, the blue team would have an advantage towards winning. It was their only hope as they continued to fight hard against their enemy.

Rengar's whiskers twitched and his tail swished as he felt his teammates close in on the action in a ring. He signaled a halt to Teemo who was ready to charge and the yordle quickly got back into the bush. Just when Baron was about to be slain, Rengar let out a mighty roar and his team leapt into action. He swiftly dispatched the monster and it shrieked before falling into the lagoon while the enemy fought endlessly to escape. the purple team felt their abilities and bodies surge with new found power from the purple buff circling around them with glowing energy. The blue team's strongest fighter, Nidalee, ran a ways away with riven on her tail and threw a spear at her which she quickly avoided with a ki-burst that launched her away and she advanced forward once more igniting her and slicing her in the back. Nidalee roared in pain and transformed into her cougar self. Beautiful creamy fur grew from her skin and claws took over her filed nails. She leapt onto Riven with all her raw strength and clawed her face. Riven screeched at the searing pain and pushed off Nidalee with her shoulder. She sliced the air in front of the two of them and sent a sharp green mist that cut deep into the huntress ending her immediately. Riven held her face with her hand and led a blood trail into the jungle with her sword dragging along the dirt.

Braum shielded Irelia's blades with his mighty shield frozen in a tall block of impenetrable ice. The telekinetic blades bounced off the sheild only scratching the surface. Irelia's eyes glowed yellow and she launched four terrifying daggers toward them. Braum took every one except on that brushed right past the edge and lodged itself directly into Rengar's leg. He yelled and held it and with a forceful tug he ripped the dagger from his leg and threw it into the shallow water. His hands glowed dark with sharp red needle protruding from the dark mist surrounding his fists. He growled and leapt onto the wall beside them and jumped in front of Irelia and she yelled when he stabbed her clear in the chest with all his fury. He yanked it out and found his next victim attacking him from his right. Fizz was halted by Rengar's claws clenched tightly on his neck. He held the poor yordle into the air while he held onto his powerful hand trying to allow some entry for his breath. He threw the tidal trickster behind him and was prepared to strike the next enemy that lay in his path. The water that camped his feet slowly churned and spiraled around faster and faster. Rengar looked to the water and tensed his muscles. Two black eyes came up from under him and a set of gigantic jaws erupted from the ground caving in the pridestalker. Rengar held the mouth of the great shark opened and slowly pried it open proving it difficult by the second. With his lip curling and the bridge of his nose creasing, he let out a mighty roar and open the jaws and pushed them back into the ground.

The small crowd cheered and applauded the while lion in his triumph over Fizz's ultimate ability. Katarina seemed unfazed but even Talon applauded only slower. The fight was not over yet.

Master Yi assaulted Vayne and Teemo for a double kill along with severely injuring Braum who escaped as he slowed Yi with his icy ram horns from his shield. Master Yi stopped and stood his ground behind Rengar. He turned around to see the Wuju Bladesman with his sword above his head and his hand in front ready for the first move.

Rengar indeed struck first. He aimed for his neck but the lion's blade was quickly parried by the bladesman's sword. He slid Rengar's blade off with a metallic ring and struck him in the side but was cut off by the two bone claws that he had tied to the back of his hand. He swatted his sword away from him and with his other free hand, he took his blade and sliced Yi's cheek. Yi held it and flipped further away with Rengar's chest and a solid platform for his escape. Rengar took his bolas from his belt and spun them over his head and threw them to slow down his prey, But was interrupted by an icy arrow piercing into his shoulder.

Katarina's mind instantly shifted to the frost archer's appearance towards the scene.

Ashe stalked elegantly and pulled out five arrows and show them all at once slowing the pridestalker charging towards her. She kept calm and shot arrows at lightning speed and fired a charged arrow that landed in his heart. He staggered and It electrocuted him along with the water which Ashe avoided for the second while she held onto the edge of a cliff with her feet safely on the wall. This gave her enough time to escape from Baron's lagoon but her plan was failed when she flashed but remained there. She cursed and tried to escape through the way she came but her path was blocked by the tall dark shape with arrows sticking out from his back. Ashe's blue eyes screamed fear but her mind was rapidly thinking. He grew closer, taking his time and letting fear consume her before taking his kill. She saw a narrow escape and took herself to it but she was held fast to the wall with his large clawed hand gripping her waist. He gripped it tighter taking in the pleasure of her cries for help. The pain was so unbearable she dropped her weapon.

The assassin furrowed her eyebrows as she watched Ashe struggle in her final moments.

Rengar flipped his hooked blade and brought it to Ashe's neck. the frost archer stopped fighting and only looked into his hungry eyes.

Talon watched eagerly and cheered along with the rest of the people as the announcer displayed his kill and victory in scoring an Ace. He turned to join in his sister's amusement but his eyes only fell upon the vacancy of where she stood.


End file.
